Chapter 52
I’m translating the chapter into the required HTML format and keeping the special content styled separately from narration.CHAPTER_TITLE: A New Front Opens in Search
[Hello, Vice Chairman Lee Jaeyoung.]
The crisp Korean voice that came through the receiver made Vice Chairman Lee Jaeyoung wonder for a moment if he had heard wrong.
...Korean?
There was no question that Another Technology’s representative was an American named Vincent.
Even Kim Hyeoncheol, the head of the division who had personally met him during his recent visit to Korea, had reported that he was a gentlemanly “American,” hadn’t he?
So what on earth was this fluent Korean supposed to mean?
And the voice is pretty young too... Is the person on the line really Representative Vincent? Doesn’t sound like it.
Jaeyoung was thrown off, but he forced himself to calm down.
He swallowed hard and spoke carefully.
“...Aren’t you Representative Vincent?”
Unlike Jaeyoung, who asked in cautious English, the answer that came back was so light it almost felt deflating.
[Haha. I just practiced it right now because I heard you were on the line. How was it? Mr. Lee.]
With a cheerful laugh, fluent English followed this time.
Only then did Jaeyoung exhale the breath he had been holding.
...So that was a joke.
Maybe he had been trying to be polite in his own way. A very American sort of icebreaker, perhaps.
Though if he had only just practiced it, his Korean had been absurdly fluent...
Still, there’s no need to think about that right now.
In any case, because the voice on the other end sounded brighter than he expected, Jaeyoung felt a little relieved.
Maybe this conversation would go better than he had thought.
He spoke in English.
“I see. Your pronunciation was so good I was genuinely surprised. I thought you were Korean.”
[Thank you.]
The other man continued in English.
[I’m in charge of development at Another Technology. If Vincent handles the company as its public face, then I handle the company’s technology and decisions as its brain.]
The other side never said outright that he wasn’t Korean.
But Jaeyoung didn’t catch the nuance.
“Ah, I see.”
He handles the technology and decisions of a software company...
So that means... the young man I’m speaking to now is the real head of Another Technology. A young fellow, and yet truly remarkable.
“Then how should I address you? Do you have a title?”
[You can call me Zero. Everyone who knows me calls me that.]
Zero.
Another Technology’s representative used a rather unusual alias.
Jaeyoung steadied his breathing and laid the groundwork for the real topic.
“I saw Crazy Bird this time. It was truly impressive. It became wildly popular the moment it launched, and everyone at our company is talking about it.”
[Thank you. We were lucky.]
“Not at all. That was skill. ...We’re sorry we didn’t recognize its value sooner. If we’d had even a little more foresight, it could have been a mutually beneficial deal.”
Jaeyoung offered a polite apology.
It was an unusually unrestrained way of speaking for a conglomerate chairman’s heir, one that bent his pride low.
He had judged that admitting his own mistake while praising the other side was the fastest way to open the negotiation.
But the other man did not accept the apology obediently.
Instead, as if he had been waiting for it, he drove in a soft but sharp blade.
[Exactly. It could have been a huge opportunity for Seongsam, if only for Seongsam. What a pity.]
“...?”
Jaeyoung was left speechless.
The remark hit right where it hurt.
To say, so politely, that they had kicked away a fortune that had rolled straight into their lap, that they had missed their chance.
A normal businessman would have said something empty like, “Not at all, let’s work well together from here on,” but Zero showed no interest in dancing around the point.
He was clearly pointing out Seongsam Electronics’ mistake, reminding them that the regret belonged to them, not him.
A Japanese style... and an American one too. Maybe he’s a Japanese-American developer.
By then, Jaeyoung realized it.
The voice may have sounded like a man in his twenties, but this was not someone to underestimate.
I need to focus.
Instinctively, he tightened the reins on his nerves.
He had to admit that he had unconsciously filed the other man away as little more than a lucky young developer.
The man was a heavyweight, one who was already carving grooves into the global IT market.
Jaeyoung corrected himself and spoke again.
“...I was lacking.”
[Vice Chairman, lacking? Hardly. More importantly, you called because you had something to say, didn’t you?]
Since the other man had shifted the subject for him, Jaeyoung seized the opening and got to the point.
There was no time left to keep circling it.
“To be frank, I understand that since Crazy Bird has already launched on Apple’s side, neither Seongsam nor Android can monopolize it. That much can’t be helped.”
[...]
“That is only natural. But... if you would excuse us for the mistake we made before when we turned it down, would you consider releasing it on the Android version as well?”
There was desperation in Jaeyoung’s voice.
“We’ll cover all marketing expenses. If you need technical support, we’ll even dispatch our development team to help.”
He asked as politely as he could, but with real urgency.
Zero, on the other end, paused for a moment after hearing the offer, then replied with disarming ease.
[Of course we can.]
“...Really?”
[Of course. It’s not technically difficult. We already have all the source code, so all it takes is a port.]
At those words, Jaeyoung’s hardened expression loosened slightly.
It could be done.
The possibility was open.
Good. If I can just get the acceptance first...
Just as relief was about to wash over him, Zero’s next words shattered that hope.
[But there’s no real need to do it.]
“...Excuse me?”
Jaeyoung asked again, wondering if he had heard wrong.
But the other man’s voice was unmistakable.
[Let’s be coldly practical, Vice Chairman.]
“...”
[How many Android smartphone users are there in the world right now? About 500,000... 1 million, maybe?]
He had struck the nerve exactly.
Android was still in its infancy, and its market share was tiny. Compared with Apple’s iPhone sweeping the globe, Android phones were little more than devices for enthusiasts and collectors.
[I don’t know the exact number, but as a business market, it’s not very attractive. It isn’t worth pouring development resources into. No one would be stupid enough to chase a 1 million-user market while leaving a market of hundreds of millions untouched.]
“But... Android will grow. Seongsam is betting everything on the Galleon. We’re giving it our all, and starting with our Galleon, the Android market will grow explosively.”
[Maybe. The future is unknown.]
Zero’s voice was dry.
He sounded as though he had neither confidence in nor interest in Seongsam’s future.
[Of course, since we already have a contract with Seongsam Electronics, we’ll sincerely make any “business apps” or utility programs Seongsam requests. That’s a promise.]
“...?”
[But games or other scalable killer apps... I’m planning to keep those exclusive to Apple.]
“...Exclusive to Apple?”
Jaeyoung’s voice shook.
That was even more frightening than simply refusing an Android release.
[Yes. It’s still just an internal thought at this point, but if we supply Apple exclusively with great apps, I think Apple would offer us a lot of support on their side too.]
“...!”
Jaeyoung covered the receiver with his hand so no sound would escape and let out a deep breath.
“Hoo...”
An exclusive killer app deal.
If that were the condition, Jobs would welcome it with both hands and lavish Another Technology with support.
And if, as a result, mega-hits like Crazy Bird could only be downloaded from the Apple App Store?
People would have very little reason to buy a Galleon.
And not just games. They could make practical apps for daily life and work too, things I haven’t even thought of.
Clearly, the other side held all the leverage.
And although Zero’s tone was light and cheerful, the way he spoke made it obvious he was still irritated by Seongsam’s rejection the last time.
If he hung up now, Seongsam’s smartphone business would face a huge crisis before it had even started.
Somehow, he had to change Zero’s mind.
“...Zero, please reconsider.”
Jaeyoung’s voice now carried something beyond desperation; it was outright urgency.
“We can offer terms no less favorable than Apple’s, if not more unprecedented. Seongsam has outdoor billboards in major cities around the world. Times Square in New York, Piccadilly Circus in London, and many more... We’ll put Crazy Bird and Another Technology on them.”
The heir to Korea’s number one conglomerate was asking a faceless developer for a favor.
But Zero remained composed.
[Well, we already have a marketing tool much stronger than billboards.]
He sounded truly unhurried, as though he had no interest at all.
Meanwhile, Jaeyoung only grew more frantic.
“If that doesn’t appeal to you, we can also share Seongsam Electronics’ hardware expertise. If you want, we can provide dedicated devices for developers, and even unpublished APIs...”
He spent over ten minutes trying to persuade the other side.
But it felt like talking to a wall.
No matter what he offered, the reply was always some variation of “I see,” “not much,” or “that’s not particularly attractive.”
...Does he have no interest at all? In working with us? Then why did he even take the call?
Just as Jaeyoung was thinking that, Zero tossed out a line as if he were finally giving in.
[Fine.]
“...Yes?”
[You’ve gone this far asking me, Vice Chairman. I don’t think I should keep acting so obnoxious.]
At that one sentence, color returned to Jaeyoung’s face.
[We’ll release Crazy Bird on Android as well. We’ll update it at the same time as Apple and service it without any discrimination. We’ll also unify the servers so Apple phone users and Galleon users can play together.]
“...Thank you. You’ve made a truly significant decision.”
Jaeyoung spoke sincerely.
But that did not mean he had become servile.
I got it. I got what my company truly needed, at least for now.
But there was a proble
[However, there is one condition.]
— Yes, there it was. The problem.
Of course the other side would have a condition.
Jaeyoung asked tensely,
By my calculation, Another Technology doesn’t really have anything to gain from us right now. Then what are they asking for?
“Please, go on.”
When Jaeyoung said that, Zero’s voice suddenly sank low.
The playfulness that had been there a moment ago vanished completely, replaced by something cold and weighty.
[Someday.]
Whether it would happen or not, no one could say. No, the odds were probably higher that it wouldn’t.
“...”
[But if that day does come, there will be a time when I ask you for help.]
“...By help, you mean?”
[Exactly what it sounds like. It might be business. It might be a personal favor. It might be something terribly inconvenient.]
“...”
[When that time comes, I want you to do me one favor as not Vice Chairman Lee Jaeyoung, but as human being Lee Jaeyoung. No questions. No arguments.]
Jaeyoung swallowed hard.
What exactly is he planning to ask for later...?
The proposal sounded like something out of a mafia film or a cartel drama.
“Right now I’m stronger, so I’ll help you. But when I come to you someday, repay the debt then. We’re friends.”
Dangerous.
There was no telling what unreasonable thing he might ask for in the future.
He might want shares in the company, or he might ask for something morally indefensible.
As a manager, it was the kind of blank check he absolutely should not accept on impulse.
But if he refused?
If he refused, Seongsam, with the Galleon at its forefront, might sink before it even got off the ground.
It could be crushed by Apple and ruined, just like Motorola or Nokia when they failed to keep up with the tide.
“...Very well.”
Jaeyoung closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with resolve.
Then he said firmly,
“I promise. When that day comes, I’ll gladly help you as a friend.”
[Are you certain? I really hate liars, and people who create rifts between family and friends.]
“So do I. I don’t make promises lightly.”
[Good. Then please send our secretariat the Android release schedule you want for Crazy Bird, as well as the marketing schedule. We’ll align as much as we can.]
“Understood.”
The moment Jaeyoung answered,
Click.
The call ended.
Jaeyoung lowered the receiver, damp with sweat, and sank back into his chair.
It felt as if all the strength had drained out of his body.
“Hoo...”
A deal without a contract had been concluded.
But as for whether what he had gained was a lifeline or a devil’s agreement, he couldn’t tell yet.
Only one thing was certain.
Seongsam had now joined hands with Another Technology.
...Let’s think positively.
Representative Zero of Another Technology had probably spoken personally with Steve Jobs as well.
Jaeyoung didn’t know how close their relationship was, but for now, he had become a “friend.”
It was an unmistakably lopsided friendship, but still.
Since I’ve solved one big problem for now... I should prepare to secure our market share before Apple enters Korea.
There was no time to rest because he was tired.
His choice and every step he took now determined the daily lives of tens of millions, perhaps more than a hundred million people around the world.
* * *
That was a good deal.
After my call with Jaeyoung ended, I went back to the classroom.
* * *
“...That’s it for today’s lecture. The remaining time is for group project discussion.”
The instant the professor finished speaking, the classroom burst into noise.
Our group had five people total: three guys and two girls, including me.
They were all energetic enough that it didn’t look like this would turn into a group-project horror story... though I couldn’t say that with complete certainty.
“Let’s divide the roles first. Research, PPT, presentation... something like that should work, right?”
“I want to do the PPT. I want to try it.”
“Anything the rest of you want?”
The girl who said that glanced at me and asked,
“...Do you want to do the presentation, Dohyun oppa? I want to do it too.”
“I’m fine with anything.”
At my answer, the girl who had asked me brightened up, then—
“Th-then could I do the presentation? I’m really good at it! I did it a lot in high school too.”
A guy who clearly seemed interested in her cut in.
His reaction was kind of cute, but looking at the girl’s awkward expression... it seemed like that romance was dead on arrival.
Still, I had no intention of becoming the villain in someone else’s youth, so I backed off.
“Then I’ll do the research.”
“Ah...”
“Thanks, hyung!”
Just like that, the roles were assigned quickly. I’d won the research duty.
“Let’s each split up our parts and look them up.”
“But where do we find the material?”
“I once looked for books at the library for another assignment, but I just searched on Naver. The professor didn’t say anything.”
“Internet search is easier, though.”
“Still, we should throw in one or two books for form’s sake.”
One classmate pulled a phone from his pocket and grumbled.
It still wasn’t a smartphone, just the latest feature phone with touch functionality.
“Then we’ll have to wrap up the research fast... maybe three days?”
“Yeah, three days should be enough.”
“What about you, Dohyun-hyung? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine too.”
While we made those little plans, I was thinking something else.
Internet search, huh...
Right now, not just Korea but the entire world was searching on computers.
And the PC search market was already over. It was a red ocean in the truest sense.
Google ruled the world, while Naver and Daum held the line in Korea.
Changing that wouldn’t be easy.
Changing people’s search habits was close to impossible.
But mobile search is different.
No one dominates mobile search yet.
And the more smartphones spread, the more searching on smartphones will increase, and the faster it will get.
Of course it won’t completely replace internet search, but the thing people use often will absolutely become smartphone search.
The company or person who owns that search engine will have power.
Unless some huge anomaly occurred, Google would take smartphone search as well.
It was the kind of thing people meant when they said, “Google knows everything.”
Still, smartphones are only in their infancy. Even Google’s mobile search algorithm is basically just a port of the PC version.
Even that giant Google had not optimized Android-based search, and the UX was a mess.
As for Naver, the king of Korea’s search engines, there was nothing more to say.
In other words, the mobile search market was still an unclaimed field.
A new challenger. I had an opening too.
Zero.
[Yes, Master.]
Analyze the current global search engine market share. Mobile portion only.
Zero answered immediately.
[Current mobile search traffic accounts for less than 1 percent of total internet traffic, with Google already in the lead. However, user satisfaction is very low. Korean and other Asian language processing is especially weak.]
Just as I’d thought, the smartphone search engine market was still empty.
If I build a smartphone search engine first in this situation...
People would use my search engine on their phones instead of Google’s.
I had confidence I could make something much better than Google’s current search engine.
And monopolizing search meant monopolizing the “internet gateway” on smartphones.
Whoever held that gateway would collect the toll.
Ads, shopping, news, big data, everything would flow through me.
The money would be astronomical.
But money wasn’t the real issue.
FreeChat, and the kind of SNS I’ll eventually make like Instagram, and the search engine too.
If I held those three... then I’d be the god of the IT world, not just of smartphones.
...I need to build a search engine.
From something as ordinary as a college group assignment, I found yet another challenge.
Of course it wouldn’t be easy.
Setting Apple aside, on Android phones Google shoved its own search bar into the best real estate on the device in exchange for giving away the OS for free.
When users tried to search the internet on their smartphones, Google was the first thing they saw.
But on Seongsam’s smartphones, at least, I have a key that can break through Google’s lead.
I thought back to what I had gotten from the call with Vice Chairman Lee Jaeyoung earlier.
...
[Someday, I mean. It might happen, or it might not. No, it’s probably more likely not to happen.]
“...”
[But if that day does come, there will be a time when I ask you for help.]
“...By help, you mean?”
[Exactly what it sounds like. It might be business. It might be a personal favor. It might be something terribly inconvenient.]
“...”
[When that time comes, I want you to do me one favor as not Vice Chairman Lee Jaeyoung, but as human being Lee Jaeyoung. No questions. No arguments.]
Looks like that day might come sooner than I expected.
He said it might not come, though. Sorry about that.
Of course Seongsam would have signed something when it took Android OS from Google, so they couldn’t simply remove Google as the default search engine.
If my memory was right, the two sides were bound by a contract called MADA, which granted OS usage rights in exchange for forcing Google Search onto the device.
But even with that contract in place, Seongsam could at least let me compete with Google on the smartphone itself.
They could open the arena and let consumers choose between my search engine and Google’s.
And as for a fight with Google...
I didn’t see myself losing.
At least in smartphone search engines, I didn’t.